More than half of the schools in the Vitebsk region have already received their readiness certificates for the new academic year

August 8, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. More than half of the schools in the Vitebsk region have already received readiness certificates for the new academic year, Ivan Shchurok, head of the education department of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee, told a BELTA correspondent. In total, as of today, 306 out of 537 educational institutions in the region, or 57%, are ready to open their doors to students on September 1. The most massive school acceptance process will be carried out throughout the current week, so that this issue will be fully resolved by August 15. Currently, this process is proceeding without disruptions. Thus, schools in the regional center were among the first to receive readiness certificates, and other regions of the Dvina region are now actively engaged in this. "I am pleased with the way the acceptance is proceeding in Gluboksky, Lioznensky, Beshenkovichsky, Orshansky, Verkhnedvinsky districts," stated Ivan Shchurok, adding that on August 21, a final meeting of heads of education departments and educational institutions will be held in Vitebsk on the issue of school readiness and the organization of the educational process in 2012/2013. Br55 billion was allocated for the preparation of schools in the Vitebsk region this year, of which about Br43 billion has already been mastered. The funds were directed to repair work, replacement of window units, reconstruction of roofs, purchase of 26 new buses for transporting schoolchildren, and acquisition of sports and educational equipment. Local authorities, as well as parents and teachers, are also providing significant assistance in preparing schools. Regarding the opening of new facilities, the head of the education department noted that by the new academic year, it is planned to commission a sports hall and a canteen at the Orekhovskaya secondary school in the Orshansky district, and a kindergarten in the Bilevo microdistrict of the regional center. "The readiness of these facilities is high, so there is every chance to hold their grand opening on September 1," he added. Low-income and large families in the region were not overlooked during the preparation process. The education department is actively collecting information about those in need of support. As of today, families in this category have already received material assistance for the purchase of textbooks, stationery, and school uniforms totaling over Br1 billion.